His climax slammed into him and tore out a groan. The pretense of control was lost in his jerking hips. The breaths forced out of him. The rapid pounding of his heart.
As the waves of release subsided, he met her gaze. If he wasn’t already lying down, the desire and satisfaction in her eyes would have dropped him.
He didn’t need his memory to prove what he innately knew. No other woman had ever cared to save him. Ease his pain. Please him in the way she just had.
As he cupped her chin, she smiled at him. Something in his chest gave way. A ping of sadness.
She was so generous and wonderful. It made sense why she’d stayed in his memories. He couldn’t let her go then. How the hell was he supposed to let her go now?
Reid got in the car and shut the passenger door. “Are you sure you have time? Thane would have picked me up.”
A dark pink sundress showed off Lauren’s silky smooth legs and a glowing tan. “I know.” She settled into the driver’s seat and put on her sunglasses. “And yes, I have time. I called the refuse company and delayed the trash pickup. While you meet with Thane, I’m going to be shopping at the antiques store with Celine.”
He chuckled. “I thought the point was for you to minimize, not collect more stuff.”
“Shopping doesn’t necessarily mean buying.” She pulled out of the driveway and onto the empty, two-lane road. “It’ll just be fun to hang with Celine. We haven’t done it in a while. I wish Ari were here.”
“Where is she?” He turned up the air conditioning and adjusted the vent. Coolness seeped through his T-shirt and jeans.
“In San Diego on a business trip. She’s so jealous she’s not here.” As she steered around a curve, Lauren glanced at him. “She’s dying to meet you. Celine let it slip about yesterday’s barbecue. I’ve been avoiding her calls. What should I tell her?”
Reid recalled the petite, dark-haired woman clearly now. The three women had a tight bond. “What do you want to tell her?”
She smiled. “That I spent a week with a really great guy.”
His breastbone tingled. Would Lauren say the same if he told her the truth about their past and who he was?
A single red car up ahead drifted over the centerline.
Lauren slowed down. “Wonder what that’s about.”
He sat up straighter. “If you pull alongside, I’ll get a look at the driver. Hopefully, they’re not falling asleep.”
The red compact weaved closer to the center and veered back. Suddenly, it spun out of control.
Lauren jammed on the breaks. Tires squealed.
A vision replaced the scene in front of Reid. Instead of an empty road, a busy interstate emerged. He was driving. Brake lights flashed ahead of him. Cars swerved and spun in all directions.
Lauren shook his arm. “Reid!”
He snapped back to reality. Reid jumped out and ran to where the car had gone off the road.
The car lay on its passenger’s side facing down the incline. Broken trees crushed into it. Reid ran down the steep slant. Mud shifted under his boots. He slid. One of his hands landed in muck. He regained his balance. Grabbing tree limbs for leverage, he made it the rest of the way. “Hey!”
No one answered.
Metal groaned. Glass splintered. Wood cracked. The car inched down.
He couldn’t wait for help. The broken trees lodged under the wheels could go at any minute. Reid crawled up onto the back of the car. He belly-crawled past the back driver’s side door. The vehicle rocked precariously. Too much movement and they could slide down the incline. The broken back window revealed the top of the driver’s head. “Hello. Can you hear me?”
A weak moan sped up his heart rate.
“Hold on. I’m coming to you.” He slithered closer and tried the door. It opened. Particles from the deployed air bag dusted the steering wheel and cracked dash.
The disoriented redheaded young woman reached clumsily for her seatbelt. Blood dripped down her forehead. “I have to get out.”
“Wait.” He touched her arm. “You’ll fall to the passenger side if you’re not ready. We’ll do this together. What’s your name?”
“Jenny.”
“Jenny. My name is Reid. Can you move your legs?”
“Yes.” She grimaced. “But my right one really hurts.”
“We’ll take it slow. I’m going to get you out. Hold onto my shoulders.”
She grabbed him tightly.
Good. “I’m going to undo your seat belt and pull you out.”
Reid unhinged the belt and tightened his hold. “Okay, nice and easy.” As he started pulling her up, he hooked his boot on part of the car. Hopefully, it was solid enough to hold him. His muscles strained with the effort of staying balanced and holding Jenny.
Wood snapped. The car slid forward.
Jenny’s screams filled his ears as she slipped from his grasp.
The car flipped. Reid lunged and grabbed her hand. Pain sliced through his shoulder.